The Sultan Hassan Mosque is found in Maydan El-Qalaa. It was built by Sultan Hassan who achieved power at the age of 13 and ruled the Egypt for 12 years. The construction of the mosque was completed after Sultan Hassan died.
The Mosque of Sultan Hasan was designed on the Mamluk style of decoration and is viewed as a good model for architecture that was used during that period. The façade of the mosque huge since its length is about 76 meters and its height is about 36 meters.
It is made of stone and is divided by some bays that end with a beautiful cornice along the top of the walls, which makes the façade look larger than its real height and length. The walls of the façade were decorated with fleur-de-lis cresting, but it has been erased from the façade by the passage of time.
The entrance of the Mosque can be seen in a corner at the end of the façade which was once sided by two Minarets. It is supported with vertical panels and pilasters. In addition to that there is a medallion on one of the sides of the entrance, while the second was unfinished.
The entrance of the Mosque is located in Sharia El-Qalaa, and it is beautifully decorated with stalactites that gives the effect of entering a magical cave. From that entrance one goes through a passage way surmounted by a dome with stalactite ornate. The interior of the mosque is made up of a courtyard with inlaid marble floor and four vaulted aisles. In the middle of the courtyard stands the current ablution fountain that traces back to the Ottoman empire and was established originally as a fountain. In the past the mosque was illuminated with oil lamps that were usually placed on chains suspended from the arches.
The mosque was used as a Madrasa (school) for studying the Quran and prophetic instructions, and a place for the students of the main four Islamic rites: the Hanafy Madrasa, the Shafey Madrasa, the Maliky Madrasa, and the Hanbaly Madrasa. Each of these Madrasas (schools) has its own place in the mosque where the students gather around their teacher, or Shaykh.
The mosque is decorated with some arches of marble mosaic, and vestiges. The eastern aisle is also charmingly decorated with harmoniously colored marble and beautiful Kufic inscriptions for some Quran verses. Some of the worth seeing things in the mosque are the Minbar with its inlaid paintings and the Dikka, or platform, that was dedicated to the teachers or Shaykhs who were reciting Quran.
The Mosque of Sultan Hasan was designed on the Mamluk style of decoration and is viewed as a good model for architecture that was used during that period. The façade of the mosque huge since its length is about 76 meters and its height is about 36 meters.
It is made of stone and is divided by some bays that end with a beautiful cornice along the top of the walls, which makes the façade look larger than its real height and length. The walls of the façade were decorated with fleur-de-lis cresting, but it has been erased from the façade by the passage of time.
The entrance of the Mosque can be seen in a corner at the end of the façade which was once sided by two Minarets. It is supported with vertical panels and pilasters. In ad
The entrance of the Mosque is located in Sharia El-Qalaa, and it is beautifully decorated with stalactites that gives the effect of entering a magical cave. From that entrance one goes through a passage way surmounted by a dome with stalactite ornate. The interior of the mosque is made up of a courtyard with inlaid marble floor and four vaulted aisles. In the middle of the courtyard stands the current ablution fountain that traces back to the Ottoman empire and was established originally as a fountain. In the past the mosque was illuminated with oil lamps that were usually placed on chains suspended from the arches.
The mosque was used as a Madrasa (school) for studying the Quran and prophetic instructions, and a place for the students of the main four Islamic rites: the Hanafy Madrasa, the Shafey Madrasa, the Maliky Madrasa, and the Hanbaly Madrasa. Each of these Madrasas (schools) has its own place in the mosque where the students gather around their teacher, or Shaykh.
The mosque is decorated with some arches of marble mosaic, and vestiges. The eastern aisle is also charmingly decorated with harmoniously colored marble and beautiful Kufic inscriptions for some Quran verses. Some of the worth seeing things in the mosque are the Minbar with its inlaid paintings and the Dikka, or platform, that was dedicated to the teachers or Shaykhs who were reciting Quran.
CITATIONS
"Mosque And School of Sultan Hassan in Egypt."
Egyptopia : Your gate to EgyptWeb. 18 Dec. 2010.
http://egyptopia.com/Sultan+Hassan+Mosque+and+Madrasa+in+Cairo_30_100_22_11310_1401_en.html>.
"Egypt: Cairo: Mosques - The Sultan Hassan Mosque & Madrasa."
Egypt Travel, Tours, Vacations, Ancient Egypt from Tour Egypt. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.touregypt.net/hassanmosque.htm>.
PICTURES
"Picture of Lanterns and dome in the courtyard of Sultan Hassan mosque | Cairo | Egypt."
Travel Pictures and Stories Web. 18 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/africa/sultan-hassan-mosque01.shtml>.
"Photograph of Sultan Hassan Mosque."
Picture of Sultan Hassan Mosque. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.akwp.co.uk/sultan-hassan-mosque.htm>.
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